ARIA Award-Winning Project Returns To Stage With MSO & More For One Night Only Concert

From a connection that seemed written in the stars, composer Nigel Westlake and singer-songwriter Lior will reunite with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for A Night Of Compassion at Melbourne Town Hall on 29 September, eight years after the release of their award-winning song cycle Compassion.

If you were lucky enough to see Compassion live when it first came out in 2014, you'd understand how un-missable this show truly is. A magic evening where beauty and grief can co-exist in the same room without one overriding the other. 

Compassion, born out of the tragic death of Westlake's son, is a musical revelation and release of grief that defies most classical concerts. Such as the name suggests, the work draws on ancient Hebrew and Arabic poems, proverbs and texts that provide insights into a world struggling with divisiveness and how the main tenets of compassion can provide relief to this tension.

Using the strengths of their individual artistry, Westlake and Lior express the wisdom of compassion through a meeting of contemporary and classical music told in song and symphony.

Joining Westlake and Lior on the stage will be Emma Donovan, Paul Grabowsky, Billie Tumarkin and Alex Burkoy. 

Pianist and MSO Composer in Residence Paul Grabowsky AO will accompany acclaimed Indigenous soul vocalist Emma Donovan performing in language. The two will also cover a collection of songs from their most recent country and gospel collaboration, The Old Rugged Cross. 

Billie Tumarkin and Alex Burkoy will also be performing some select songs after a life-changing performance at When Women Speak of War. The Australian-Jewish-Ukranaian duo are set to wow the audience showing off Tumakin's stunning vocals and Burkoy's multi-instrument talent. 

Lior is especially keen to share the stage with such talented musicians who embody everything that Compassion represents. Detailing that they “tried to put something together that would resonate with people in a beautiful and sacred kind of way, but without placing it in any sort of pigeonholed cultural kind of world".

“Though Compassion draws from the languages and cultural richness of two worlds, the overriding theme of the work is the wisdom and universality of compassion,” he explains.

“Having worked with FOJAM for quite some time, I am aware of the cultural depth and diversity they bring to their events. Working in collaboration with them on this show will facilitate the presentation of Compassion in a unique, richly diverse and inclusive setting.

“To be joined by other artists on the night performing in different languages and drawing from other cultures gives this concert an even more expansive outlook and is a large part of the reason why I am so looking forward to teaming up with the MSO and FOJAM for A Night Of Compassion.”

The world premiere concert of Compassion at the Sydney Opera House was recorded and released on ABC, spending more than 10 weeks at #1 on the ARIA Classical Charts and receiving the 2014 ARIA Award for Best Classical Album. 

Brought to you by the Jewish Festival Of Arts and Music, don't miss the last chance to witness this magical night that defies genre and proves to pull at the heartstrings. 

Purchase tickets here.